Hail to the Queen

July 3, 2011 by Jackie -

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None of the following photos are by any stretch of the means “award winning”, but they represent a very special moment I just had with Negra. I was sitting outside on the new concrete footings for the soon-to-be tunnel to Young’s Hill (!!) and hanging out with Burrito. We were alternating between grooming, tickling, kissing my hand, and playing this game we often play where he leans to one side and bites the cage and I reach towards him like I’m going to touch him and he moves to the other side, laughing hysterically. Although for Burrito, it was a very mellow moment. Negra was laying beside us in her typical corner of the outdoor area with a bright pink blanket completely over her. She heard us starting to get louder with our “fake out” game and sat up, threw the blanket off of her and walked over towards Burrito to greet him. She sat next to him for a little while, but since our playful games had fizzled, Mr. B eventually walked away. Negra then walked back over to her pink blanket and put it over her head. I said “Oh Neg, you look so beautiful!” and asked her if I could take her picture. She gave me a slight headnod of reassurance, so I took the following photos. She seemed pretty content that the focus was now on her. Unfortunately I was too close to get a photo without bars, but I think with a face like Negra’s, they are pretty easy to forget about.

Burrito Caregivers Negra Sanctuary

14 Comments

Marina Cresswell on July 3, 2011 at 2:30 pm

That’s very sweet
marie cross ( uk ) on July 3, 2011 at 2:31 pm

aw what a beautiful moment for you Jackie ! and yes indeed all hail to our beautiful queen neggy xxx

ps i love your,s and Mr b,s game x
Audrey Spencer on July 3, 2011 at 2:36 pm

Oh Jackie, these photos are wonderful!! Thank you so much for sharing your special moment with Negra (& Burrito)!! This made me smile and made my day!!
Amy G. on July 3, 2011 at 2:41 pm

So happy to see Neggie’s eyes so bright. Burrito kisses on the hand. Such a gentleman : )
Amy M on July 3, 2011 at 3:02 pm

Negra looks like a wise elder in the first shot. Jackie — I don’t think I’ve seen another photo of Negra like that. Her face is so soft and her eyes look so young. Beautiful sequence.
Deb on July 3, 2011 at 3:20 pm

What a beautiful story. We all need to play games AND to have pink blankets to retreat too. Joy.
Marcia Douthwaite on July 3, 2011 at 6:44 pm

Jackie, she is a dear, thank you for the photos. Your game with Burrito must be so much fun—-hope to see a video of one of your sessions some day.
Denice on July 3, 2011 at 8:55 pm

One day, so very soon, you will be out on Young’s Hill looking down into the greenhouse Neggie. You will be able to watch as trains in the valley roll by while you sit on the structure I like to call “Negra’s Throne”. You will be above the bars and caging you have looked through for decades only to see the clouds in the west rolling over the mountians of the Cascage foot hills. You will have a clear view of the Bald Eagles as they sore over the valley riding the thermals coming off the canyon walls. You will be able to watch the deer as she leads her twin fawns out of the woods to feed in the pasture to the east. You will be able to watch the humans with all our comings and goings.

I don’t have a bucket list per say but to see these persons out on Young’s Hill is definately something I want to see before my days are over.
- Penelope Oshatz on July 6, 2011 at 2:30 pm
  
  Thank you Denise for your inspiring comment. Reading it and remembering my visit to the sanctuary, I got shivers.
  Thanks for bringing those special feelings back to me.
Candy (Tyler, Texas) on July 3, 2011 at 10:43 pm

First of all, your photographs are excellent, they show us sides of chimpanzees we wouldn’t, otherwise, see.

Because of the closeness of the camera, the mesh looks like it’s disappearing, which, in a way, is true, because of Young’s Hill.

Jackie, how lucky you are to have such a bond with Burrito, lucky woman!
Theresa on July 4, 2011 at 3:05 am

The last picture is breathtaking! There is wisdom, love, contentment and peace in those beautiful eyes. Neggie is truly regal.
Patricia Meek on July 4, 2011 at 4:33 am

Really lovely pictures x
Debbie from Boston on July 4, 2011 at 6:49 am

The third picture made my day!!!! OH so CUTE
Happy 4th of July everybody
Chris on July 4, 2011 at 10:31 am

Queen Neggie….What a Beautiful Girl you are….inside and out! 🙂 We all love you and your 6 other room mates soooooooo much!!

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